Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung at the meeting (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the event, the head of SOM ASEAN of Brunei saidthat with the ASEAN 2021’s theme of “WeCare, We Prepare, We Prosper,” Brunei hopes to build on the achievementsthat the association gained in 2020, with focus on the people and sustainabledevelopment, building a regional architecture ruled by law, upholding multilateralism and supporting an open multilateral trade system.
Participants exchanged their ideas on work that need to be done since after the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meeting, including a mid-term report on theimplementation of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint and the strengtheningof inter-pillar and inter-sectoral coordination towards the building of the Post-2025ASEAN Community Vision.
They pledged to continue speeding up the realization of theASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework and showed support of Brunei's suggestion for a comprehensive strategic approach to cope with disasters and emergency situations in the future to protect economies and societies and ensure broader development.
They continued to underline the significance ofmultilateralism, while reaffirming the association’s commitment to promotingmultilateral cooperation to safeguard peace, security, safety and prosperity inthe region and the world.
Participants agreed that the ASEAN continues to play animportant role in the region, especially in uniting joint efforts for peace,stability and prosperity.
Looking back on 2020, they noted that the East Sea continuedto witness complicated developments, requiring the association to maintainsolidarity and unity as well as its commitment to peace andstability in the East Sea and the region in general.
They stressed the need for all parties to continue fully andstrictly implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC) and work to resume negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea(COC) that is in line with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of theSea 1982.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA) Addressing the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen QuocDung thanked ASEAN member countries for supporting Vietnam in 2020, expressinghis belief that Brunei will lead the ASEAN through challenges to recover fromthe pandemic. Vietnam is ready to cooperate with Brunei in performing the roleof ASEAN Chair in 2021.
The Vietnamese official suggested using the ASEAN fund forCOVID-19 response to buy vaccines, first of all for medical staff, adding that Vietnam called on all ASEAN member countries to fullyoperate the Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies (RRMS).
He stressed that the grouping should optimise the outcomes that ASEAN had achieved in 2020, proposing that key agencies in charge of ASEAN Community’s pillarscontinue to improve and complete the remaining action lines in the master plan forthe 2025 ASEAN Community Vision.
He also asked ASEAN to early define the roadmap to build the ASEAN vision 2025 based on the Hanoi Declaration on the ASEAN Community’sPost-2025 Vision, which was approved at the 37th ASEAN Summit, while reviewingthe ASEAN Charter, strengthening the proactive and central role of the associationin promoting sub-regional cooperation, contributing to narrowing the developmentgap and reinforcing ASEAN connectivity.
Dung also highlighted the need to maintain intra-blocsolidarity and take the initiative in responding to newly-emerged challenges, thus ensuringthe life of people and recovering from the pandemic in a sustainable manner.The ASEAN should continue to be the central and pioneering force in the regionto make positive contributions to peace, stability of the region and the world,he added./.
VNA
